A battery module production line

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology and discloses a battery module production line, including a first conveyor line for the production and assembly of energy storage battery modules. A cell testing system and a first transfer station are sequentially arranged on the front side of the first conveyor line. The first transfer station includes a cell transfer robot. A cell assembly station is located on the first conveyor line corresponding to the cell transfer robot. A base installation station is located before the cell assembly station on the first conveyor line. This invention provides a battery module production line that can achieve automated operation. Each process is arranged sequentially along the conveyor line, which can greatly reduce manual operation, lower labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and help reduce production costs and improve product consistency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of battery production, and in particular to a battery module production line. Background Art

[0002] As energy competition becomes increasingly fierce, it has become a consensus among people to find products that can replace petroleum energy. The vigorous development of the battery industry will be a trend. It has a wide range of applications in industrial production and life, and urban electric buses have quietly started. The battery cell is an important component of the battery. The battery is assembled into a module by the battery cell, and then the module is packaged in a soft package.

[0003] According to the different uses of the battery, the battery module can be divided into power module and energy storage module, and there are differences in the process operation between the two. The assembly process of the battery module is relatively complicated, involving multiple processes such as battery cell gluing, stacking assembly and welding. At present, most companies have not yet realized automated production lines. They are mainly assisted by manual machines and the operation procedures are scattered. Not only is the labor intensity high, but the production efficiency is low, the production cost is high, and the product consistency is poor, which seriously affects the reliability and aesthetics of the battery. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiment of the present invention provides a battery module production line, which is used to solve or partially solve the problems of high labor intensity and low production efficiency in the existing battery module production process.

[0005] An embodiment of the present invention provides a battery module production line, comprising a first conveyor line for producing and assembling energy storage battery modules, a battery cell detection system and a first transfer station are sequentially arranged on the front end side of the first conveyor line, the first transfer station comprises a battery cell transfer robot, battery cell assembly stations are arranged at positions corresponding to the first conveyor line and the battery cell transfer robot, and a base installation station is arranged in front of the battery cell assembly station.

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a battery module production line, which can realize automated operation. Each process is arranged in sequence along the conveyor line, which can greatly reduce manual operation, reduce labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and is conducive to reducing production costs and improving product consistency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0008] Figure 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a battery module production line provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a testing mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a transfer mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a flipping mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of a welding fixing tool provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 6 is a side view schematic diagram of a welding fixture provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 7 is a schematic top view of a fixing unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a first posture of a needle bed detection system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Fig. 9 is a side view of a first posture of a needle bed detection system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of a second posture of the needle bed detection system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Fig.11 is a side view of a second posture of the needle bed detection system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of a first posture of a cell reordering robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Fig.13 This is another schematic diagram of the first posture of the battery cell transfer robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Fig.14 is a schematic diagram of a second posture of the battery cell transfer robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Fig.15 It is a schematic diagram of the energy storage module assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Fig.16 is a structural schematic diagram of a second sequence transfer station provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Fig.17 It is a structural schematic diagram of the end plate feeding mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Reference numerals:

[0026] 11. Battery cell loading station; 12. End plate coding station; 13. Battery cell detection system; 14. Turning mechanism; 15. Gluing mechanism; 16. End plate loading mechanism; 17. Battery cell sequence transfer robot; 18. Sequence transfer conveyor line; 19. Battery cell stacking station; 110. Needle bed detection system; 111. Side panel welding system; 112. Side panel inspection station; 113. First busbar assembly station; 114. First busbar welding station; 115. Bus inspection station; 116. Second transfer station; 21. Box loading station; 22. Box coding station; 23. Base installation station; 24. Cell assembly station; 25. Polarity detection station; 26. Upper bracket installation station; 27. Second bus assembly station; 28. Second bus welding station; 29. ​​Wire harness welding station; 210. Wire harness inspection station; 211. Module detection station; 30. Recycling station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] refer to Figure 1 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a battery module production line, which includes a first conveyor line and a second conveyor line arranged in parallel. The first conveyor line and the second conveyor line can be used for the production of two types of battery modules. Specifically, the first conveyor line can be used as a production line for energy storage battery modules, and the second conveyor line can be used as a production line for power battery modules. A first transfer station and a second transfer station 116 are arranged in sequence between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line. That is, the conveying directions of the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line can be consistent. The first transfer station is arranged before the second transfer station 116 along the conveying direction. A cell detection system 13 is arranged on the line body of the second conveyor line located before the first transfer station. A wire harness welding station 29 and a module detection station 211 are arranged on the line body of the first conveyor line or the second conveyor line located after the second transfer station 116. The first transfer station is used to realize the transfer of cells between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line; the second transfer station is used to realize the transfer of modules between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line.

[0029] Although there are differences between the production processes of power battery modules and energy storage battery modules, there are still some identical and repeated processes, such as the detection of battery cells before assembly, and the welding of wiring harnesses on modules and module detection after the battery cells are assembled into modules. This embodiment proposes to integrate the power module production line and the energy storage module production line. For repeated processes, only one line can be operated, and then the transfer station can be used to realize the transfer of workpieces between the two lines, thereby avoiding the repeated setting of some identical processes, effectively reducing the floor space of the two battery module production lines, and reducing resource consumption.

[0030] Specifically, this embodiment provides an energy storage battery module production line, including a first conveyor line, a cell detection system and a first sequence transfer station are provided at the front side of the first conveyor line, the first sequence transfer station includes a cell sequence transfer robot, a cell assembly station is provided at the corresponding position of the first conveyor line and the cell sequence transfer robot, and a base installation station is provided before the cell assembly station. After the cell assembly station, the first conveyor line is provided with at least one of a polarity detection station, a busbar welding station, and a harness welding station.

[0031] The production process of energy storage battery modules on this production line is to first conduct simultaneous inspection of the battery cells to ensure the qualification of the subsequent process battery cells and the installation of the energy storage module base, and then use the battery cell transfer robot to transfer the battery cells on the auxiliary conveyor line to the base on the main conveyor line, and then perform subsequent operations on the main conveyor line. This production line can realize automated operation, and each process is arranged in order along the conveyor line, which can greatly reduce manual operation, reduce labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and help reduce production costs and improve product consistency.

[0032] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 2 The battery cell detection system 13 includes a testing mechanism disposed on one side of the line body and a transfer mechanism for transferring the battery cells that fail the test; Figure 3 The transfer mechanism includes a linear guide rail 131, a vertical driving structure 134 and a transfer clamp 137. The linear guide rail 131 is used to be set above the line body, the vertical driving structure 134 is connected to the linear guide rail 131, and the transfer clamp 137 is connected to the vertical driving structure 134 in an up and down floating manner.

[0033] The battery cell detection system 13 also includes a storage mechanism for storing battery cells that fail the test; that is, a recycling station. The storage mechanism is arranged on the path of the linear guide rail 131. The transfer mechanism is used to transfer the battery cells with unqualified test results to the storage mechanism after the battery cells are tested. The vertical drive structure 134 can drive the transfer clamp 137 to move along the linear guide rail 131 to the storage mechanism, and then transfer the unqualified battery cells clamped by the transfer clamp to the storage mechanism. The vertical drive structure 134 can be initially located above the battery cell test position. When the battery cell test is unqualified, the vertical drive structure 134 can drive the transfer clamp 137 to clamp the unqualified battery cell downward, and then move upward; then the vertical drive structure 134 drives the transfer clamp 137 and the battery cell to move along the linear guide rail 131 to the storage mechanism, and the vertical drive structure 134 drives the transfer clamp 137 to move downward to place the unqualified battery cell at the storage mechanism.

[0034] When the vertical drive structure 134 drives the transfer clamp 137 downward to place the unqualified battery cells at the storage mechanism, because the transfer clamp 137 has an up and down floating space relative to the vertical drive structure 134, the transfer clamp 137 can send the unqualified battery cells to different heights, and then the unqualified battery cells can be stacked at the storage mechanism, thereby increasing the storage buffer capacity of the storage mechanism. Furthermore, by setting the transfer clamp 137 to float up and down to increase the storage buffer capacity of the storage mechanism, the accuracy requirements for the vertical drive structure 134 can also be reduced. The vertical drive structure 134 does not need to perform multi-point positioning, such as using a simple cylinder capable of two-point positioning, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty of system control, reducing electrical components and reducing costs.

[0035] A battery cell testing system 13 provided in this embodiment is provided with a transfer mechanism and a storage mechanism to realize the transfer and storage of unqualified battery cells, thereby improving the completeness of the battery cell test, and can be mechanically operated to reduce labor costs and improve the level of automation; and the transfer clamp 137 is provided to float up and down, which is also beneficial to increasing the storage buffer capacity of the storage mechanism, so as to better realize the transfer and storage of unqualified battery cells, which is beneficial to the smooth and stable conduct of the battery cell test.

[0036] Furthermore, the vertical driving structure 134 may be a cylinder, or other structures capable of achieving vertical up and down movement, without specific limitation, with the purpose of simple structure and easy control.

[0037] Furthermore, the storage mechanism includes a buffer conveyor line; unqualified cells are stored on the buffer conveyor line and unqualified cells are transported to a recycling point. The transfer mechanism is arranged above the line body, and the testing mechanism is arranged on one side of the conveyor line body. The storage mechanism can be arranged on the other side of the conveyor line body.

[0038] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 3The transfer mechanism also includes a bracket 132; linear guide rails 131 are respectively provided on both sides of the vertical drive structure 134, and the two ends of the bracket 132 are correspondingly slidably connected with the linear guide rails 131 on both sides, and the vertical drive structure 134 is connected to the bracket 132. It is beneficial to improve the structural stability and ensure the stable and reliable movement of the vertical drive structure.

[0039] Furthermore, a towline fixing frame is provided on the bracket 132 for fixing the towline cables in the transfer mechanism, so as to achieve orderly and stable placement of the towline cables. The vertical driving structure 134 can be connected to the fixing plate 133 , and connected to the bracket 132 through the fixing plate 133 .

[0040] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, a horizontal driving structure 139 is provided at the linear guide rail 131 on at least one side. The horizontal driving structure 139 is used to provide power for the vertical driving structure 134 to move along the linear guide rail 131. The horizontal driving structure 139 can also be a cylinder capable of achieving two-point positioning, wherein one travel point is located above the battery cell test position and the other travel point is located above the storage mechanism; the horizontal driving structure 139 can also be other structures capable of providing horizontal linear movement, which are not specifically limited.

[0041] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 3 A plurality of transfer clamps 137 are connected side by side on the vertical driving structure 134, so that multiple battery cells can be clamped and transferred at the same time.

[0042] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 3 , the vertical driving structure 134 is connected to the hanging plate 136, and the transfer clamp 137 is connected to the hanging plate 136 by a linear bearing 135 so as to float up and down. Specifically, the linear bearing 135 includes an outer sleeve and an inner shaft that can slide relative to each other in the axial direction, and the outer sleeve can be fixed to the hanging plate 136; the inner shaft passes through the inside of the outer sleeve, and the bottom of the inner shaft is fixedly connected to the transfer clamp 137, which can move up and down relative to the outer sleeve together with the transfer clamp 137; the top of the inner shaft passes through the outer sleeve and is connected to a limiting member to prevent the inner shaft from falling off from the outer sleeve, which plays a limiting role. Furthermore, the transfer clamp 137 can also be directly connected to the hanging plate 136 through an elastic member; so as to realize the up and down floating of the transfer clamp. Or the transfer clamp 137 can also be connected to the hanging plate 136 through a vertically arranged linear moving structure to realize the up and down floating of the transfer clamp 137. The linear moving structure can be a matching groove and protrusion structure or a guide rail structure, etc. The up and down floating structure of the transfer clamp 137 is not specifically limited.

[0043] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 2, the testing mechanism includes at least one testing unit arranged side by side; the testing unit includes a code reader 1311, a horizontal guide frame 1314 and a vertical guide frame 1316, the code reader 1311 is horizontally adjustable and fixed to the horizontal guide frame 1314, and the horizontal guide frame 1314 is vertically adjustable and fixed to the vertical guide frame 1316. The testing unit is used to test the battery cells conveyed on the side of the battery cell conveyor line to determine whether they are qualified battery cells. Here, the judgment of unqualified battery cells includes: battery cells whose performance does not meet the standards after testing, battery cells whose external structure is unqualified, or battery cells whose models do not match the battery cells required by the battery cell conveyor line, etc. Multiple testing units are set to test multiple battery cells at the same time.

[0044] The code reader 1311 can read the identification code on the battery cell to identify whether it is the battery cell required by the battery cell conveyor line; if the model number does not meet the requirements, the transfer mechanism is activated to transfer the battery cell. This is to avoid the battery cell being misplaced on the battery cell conveyor line. The code reader 1311 can be adjusted horizontally along the horizontal guide frame 1314, and the position adjustment in the vertical direction can be achieved by adjusting the position of the horizontal guide frame 1314 along the vertical guide frame 1316, which has strong flexibility and applicability.

[0045] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the code reader 1311 is fixed to the horizontal guide frame 1314 through the first clamping block 1313; the horizontal guide frame 1314 is fixed to the vertical guide frame 1316 through the second clamping block 1315. The clamping block and the guide frame are connected in a detachable structure, and the position of the clamping block can be flexibly adjusted to adjust the position of the code reader. The clamping block and the guide frame are fixed by static friction. Preferably, the horizontal guide frame 1314 and the vertical guide frame 1316 are cylindrical.

[0046] refer to Figure 3 The first clamping block 1313 is provided with a through hole for passing the horizontal guide frame 1314. The first clamping block 1313 is divided into two disconnected parts on one side of the through hole, and a bolt hole is provided between the two parts. After the horizontal guide frame 1314 passes through the through hole of the first clamping block 1313, the two parts can be tightened by bolts to fix the position between the first clamping block 1313 and the horizontal guide frame 1314.

[0047] The second clamping block 1315 is provided with two through holes for passing through the horizontal guide frame 1314 and the vertical guide frame 1316. One side of each through hole is formed with two disconnected parts, and a bolt hole is provided between the two parts. The first clamping block 1313 and the second clamping block 1315 are cleverly designed to form a fixing structure similar to a hoop, which can facilitate the connection and position adjustment of the horizontal guide frame 1314 and the vertical guide frame 1316, and has strong flexibility.

[0048] Furthermore, a fixing member 1312 is connected to the code reader 1311, and the code reader 1311 is connected to the first clamping block 1313 through the fixing member 1312. The code reader 1311 can be tilted to smoothly read the identification code on the battery cell, and the specific tilt angle is not limited.

[0049] On the basis of the above embodiment, the test unit further includes a probe 1317, a horizontal pushing structure 1320 and a probe mounting frame 1321. The probe 1317 is connected to the horizontal pushing structure 1320, and the horizontal pushing structure 1320 is mounted on the probe mounting frame 1321. When the battery cell is transported to the probe 1317, the horizontal pushing structure 1320 pushes the probe 1317 to move toward the battery cell; the probe 1317 is used to contact the electrode of the battery cell to test the battery cell, and can test whether there is a problem with the performance of the battery cell.

[0050] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 2 , the vertical guide frame 1316 is arranged on the side of the probe mounting frame 1321, and the code reader 1311 is arranged above the horizontal pushing structure 1320. That is, the code reader 1311 and the probe 1317 are integrated, and the code reading test of the code reader 1311 and the test of the probe 1317 can be performed simultaneously. Specifically, when multiple test units are set, multiple horizontal pushing structures 1320 can be installed on a probe mounting frame 1321, and a vertical guide frame 1316 is arranged on one side of each horizontal pushing structure 1320 so that a code reader 1311 is correspondingly arranged at each horizontal pushing structure 1320, and the test of multiple battery cells can be completed simultaneously. Among them, the number of test units is the same as the number of transfer clamps 137; preferably two, it can also be other, it can be flexibly set according to needs, and there is no specific limitation.

[0051] Furthermore, the horizontal pushing structure 1320 can also be a cylinder or other horizontal moving structures, which are not specifically limited. The probe 1317 is connected to the probe seat 1318, and the probe seat 1318 is connected to the probe seat adapter plate 1319 and is connected to the horizontal pushing structure 1320 through the probe seat adapter plate 1319. The probe seat 1318 is an insulating structure. And the upper and lower positions between the probe seat 1318 and the probe seat adapter plate 1319 are adjustable. A long strip mounting hole can be set in the vertical direction on the probe seat 1318, or a plurality of probe seat mounting positions can be set in the vertical direction on the probe seat adapter plate 1319. A plurality of probe 1317 mounting positions are provided in the horizontal direction on the probe seat 1318; the mounting position of the probe 1317 can be adjusted as needed.

[0052] Further, refer to Figure 3The transfer clamp 137 can be a clamp cylinder with two opposing claws. A flexible pad 138 is connected to the inner wall of the claw to prevent damage to the battery cell and to provide insulation. The flexible pad 138 and the probe seat 1318 can be made of polyurethane materials. The linear guide 131 can be supported and fixed by a column 1310.

[0053] The battery cell detection system 13 also includes a flip mechanism 14 for adjusting the position of the battery cell that is placed upside down during testing. The testing mechanism is arranged before the flip mechanism 14. Figure 4 The flipping mechanism 14 includes a spatial displacement structure, a swing structure 142 and a flipping clamp 141 for being arranged on one side of the battery cell conveying line. The swing structure 142 is connected to the spatial displacement structure, and the flipping clamp 141 is connected to the swing structure 142.

[0054] The flipping mechanism 14 flips the battery cell that is placed upside down during the test on one side of the battery cell conveyor line, so as to adjust it to the correct placement posture to correct the battery cell being placed upside down. The swing structure 142 is a structure that can provide a swinging motion, such as a swing cylinder, a swing table, etc. When it is determined that the battery cell is placed upside down, the spatial displacement structure drives the swing structure 142 and the flipping clamp 141 to move to the upside-down battery cell, and the flipping clamp 141 clamps the battery cell, and then the battery cell is flipped 180 degrees driven by the swing structure 142 to adjust the battery cell to the correct posture. Then, the spatial displacement structure is used to put the battery cell back on the battery cell conveyor line.

[0055] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, the spatial displacement structure includes a vertical displacement structure and a horizontal displacement structure perpendicular to the conveying direction of the battery cell conveying line, the vertical displacement structure is connected to the horizontal displacement structure, and the swing structure 142 is connected to the vertical displacement structure.

[0056] Furthermore, the horizontal displacement structure includes a horizontal guide rail 147 and a horizontal driving structure 148. The horizontal guide rail 147 is movably connected to a fixed frame 145. The horizontal driving structure 148 is connected to the fixed frame 145. The horizontal driving structure 148 drives the fixed frame 145 to move along the horizontal guide rail 147. The vertical displacement structure includes a vertical guide rail 144 and a vertical driving structure 146. The vertical guide rail 144 is mounted on the fixed frame 145. The vertical guide rail 144 is movably connected to a mounting plate 143. The vertical driving structure 146 is connected to the mounting plate 143. The swing structure 142 is connected to the mounting plate 143. The vertical driving structure 146 drives the mounting plate 143 to move along the vertical guide rail 144.

[0057] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, a buffer limit structure 149 is provided below the vertical displacement structure. The buffer limit structure 149 can be an elastic member. Further, at least one end of the horizontal displacement structure is provided with a limit member. It is used to limit the moving position of the fixing frame 145 along the horizontal guide rail 147. For details, refer to Figure 4 The limiting member may be a stopper 1410 fixedly disposed at the end of the horizontal guide rail 147 ; the stopper 1410 serves to limit the movement of the fixing frame 145 and prevent it from falling off.

[0058] Furthermore, a plurality of swing structures 142 and flip clamps 141 are arranged side by side along the conveying direction of the wire body. Figure 4 , multiple swing structures 142 can be connected side by side on the mounting plate 143, and each swing structure 142 is connected to a corresponding flipping clamp 141. Each clamp is corresponding to clamping a battery cell. The flipping adjustment of multiple battery cells can be realized at the same time, thereby improving efficiency.

[0059] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the first transfer station includes a cell transfer robot 17; the cell transfer robot 17 can be arranged between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line, and is used to realize the transfer of the cell between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line. The side of the second conveyor line is provided with a gluing mechanism 15, an end plate feeding mechanism 16 and a transfer conveyor line body 18 at the first transfer station; the end plate feeding mechanism 16 is located within the displacement range of the gluing mechanism 15, and the end plate feeding mechanism 16 and the transfer conveyor line body 18 are respectively located within the displacement range of the cell transfer robot 17.

[0060] The gluing mechanism 15 may include a displacement driving structure and a gluing head connected to the displacement driving structure. It is used to apply glue to the battery cells on the second conveyor line and the end plates conveyed by the end plate feeding mechanism 16. The second conveyor line can be used for the production of power battery modules. By applying glue on the battery cells, multiple battery cells can be stacked in sequence and pasted and fixed to each other. Then the end plates are pasted and fixed to the two ends of the stacked multiple battery cells; then the side plates are welded on both sides of the stacked multiple battery cells to form a firmly fixed battery module. Compared with the traditional process of fixing the battery cells by bundling with cable ties and setting a base to fix the battery cells, the power battery module formation process can reduce the difficulty of module formation, which is conducive to reducing the complexity of the structure and facilitating automated production, and can also greatly reduce the volume occupied by the module, which is convenient for battery application.

[0061] The end plate feeding mechanism 16 can be a conveyor belt structure, which is used to transport the end plate to the displacement range of the gluing mechanism 15 and the battery cell transfer robot 17. It is convenient to glue the end plate and facilitate the battery cell transfer robot 17 to transfer the end plate. The transfer conveyor line body 18 can be an independent conveyor line arranged on the side of the second conveyor line, which is used to receive and transport the glued battery cells and end plates transferred by the battery cell transfer robot 17.

[0062] A cell stacking station 19 is provided on the second conveyor line after the first transfer station, which is used to stack the cells and end plates after glue coating; the end plates are located at both ends of several stacked cells. The second conveyor line can be disconnected between the first transfer station and the next station (i.e., the cell stacking station 19). The cells at and before the first transfer station are placed on the cell tooling board; and the cells stacked at and after the cell stacking station 19 are placed on the module tooling board to facilitate subsequent side panel welding. The transfer conveyor line body 18 extends to the cell stacking station 19. The cells and end plates on the transfer conveyor line body 18 can be moved to the cell stacking station 19 for stacking manually or by a robot.

[0063] The first transfer station can flexibly adjust the workpiece between the cell tooling board and the module tooling board through the arrangement of the cell transfer manipulator 17 and the transfer conveyor line 18, and can be operated automatically, which is conducive to the smooth and efficient production process. And the second conveyor line is disconnected to form two sections of the line body, which can also facilitate the arrangement of the conveyor line and improve flexibility.

[0064] Specifically, refer to Fig.17 The end plate feeding mechanism 16 includes an end plate unloading structure, an end plate fixing structure and a conveying structure connected therebetween; an end plate transfer structure is also provided at the end plate fixing structure; the end plate unloading structure is used to unload the stacked end plates one by one from the bottom and drop them onto the conveying structure; the end plate fixing structure is used to fix and position the end plates to facilitate the gluing operation; the end plate transfer structure is used to transfer the end plate moved on the conveying structure to one end close to the end plate fixing structure to the end plate fixing structure.

[0065] The end plate unloading structure includes a receiving cavity for stacking the end plates and a destacking structure 165 provided at the bottom of the receiving cavity for realizing the end plates to fall one by one. The receiving cavity includes a plurality of cavity walls 161 independently provided along the circumference; the cavity walls 161 are connected to a moving structure, and the moving structure is used to realize the position adjustment of the cavity walls 161. Specifically, the cavity walls 161 may be L-shaped, and four cavity walls 161 are distributed at the four corners of the end plate to enclose and form a cavity for placing the end plate.

[0066] The moving structure specifically includes a vertical guide rod 162, a first horizontal guide rod 163 and a second horizontal guide rod 164; the three guide rods are arranged along three mutually perpendicular directions to form a three-dimensional movement. The vertical guide rod 162 is fixedly arranged; it can be fixed to the conveying structure. The first horizontal guide rod 163 is connected to the vertical guide rod 162 through a clamping block so that the position thereof can be adjusted along the vertical guide rod 162, and the second horizontal guide rod 164 is connected to the first horizontal guide rod 163 through a clamping block so that the position thereof can be adjusted along the first horizontal guide rod 163. Thus, the position adjustment of the cavity wall 161 along the direction of the second horizontal guide rod 164 can be realized by adjusting the connection part between the second horizontal guide rod 164 and the corresponding clamping block. The position adjustment of the cavity wall 161 along the direction of the first horizontal guide rod 163 can be realized by adjusting the connection part between the clamping block between the first horizontal guide rod 163 and the second horizontal guide rod 164 and the first horizontal guide rod 163. By adjusting the connection part between the clamping block between the first horizontal guide rod 163 and the vertical guide rod 162 and the vertical guide rod 162, the position of the cavity wall 161 in the vertical direction can be adjusted. Therefore, the movable structure can realize the three-dimensional position adjustment of the cavity wall 161; and the structure is simple, the operation is convenient, and it can be realized without electrical components. The size of the accommodating cavity formed by the cavity wall 161 can be flexibly adjusted, which is convenient for improving applicability and flexibility.

[0067] The conveying structure may be a conveying line 166. One end of the conveying structure connected to the end plate unloading structure is lower than the end connected to the end plate fixing structure, so that the conveying structure has an upwardly inclined section along the conveying direction, thereby reducing the setting height of the end plate unloading structure, which is convenient for stacking and placing the end plates. Furthermore, an induction switch 167 is provided at one end of the conveying structure connected to the end plate fixing structure; the induction switch 167 is used to detect the end plate in place and control the operation of the end plate transfer structure according to the detection result. The induction switch 167 may be a photoelectric switch.

[0068] The end plate transfer structure includes a displacement structure 168 connected between the end of the conveying structure and the end plate fixing structure, and a manipulator assembly 169 connected to the displacement structure 168. The manipulator assembly 169 can be a clamping claw structure. When the induction switch 167 detects that the end of the conveying structure has an end plate, the end plate transfer structure is controlled to operate. The displacement structure 168 moves the manipulator assembly 169 to the top of the end plate, and then the manipulator assembly 169 moves downward to grab the end plate, and then rises, and then the displacement structure 168 moves the manipulator assembly 169 to the top of the end plate fixing structure, and then the manipulator assembly 169 descends to place the end plate on the end fixing structure.

[0069] The end fixing structure includes a fixing support 1610, and an end plate fixing slot is provided on the fixing support 1610. Specifically, the fixing support 1610 is provided with blocks at the corresponding positions of the four sides of the end plate; the four blocks play a role of limiting and fixing the four sides of the end plate. That is, there are blocks on the opposite sides along the length direction of the end plate, and there are also blocks on the opposite sides along the width direction of the end plate.

[0070] Specifically, at least one of the blocks on the two sides opposite to each other along the length direction of the end plate is set as a movable structure; at least one of the blocks on the two sides opposite to each other along the width direction of the end plate is set as a movable structure. That is, the distance between the blocks in both directions is adjustable. Initially, the position of the blocks can be adjusted so that the space between the four blocks is larger than the size of the end plate, which is convenient for the placement of the end plate. After the end is placed between the four blocks, the block in one direction is moved first, and when the end plate is moved into place in that direction (that is, it can no longer move), the clamping force of the block on the end plate in that direction is removed (that is, the block remains in place, but no pressure is applied to the end plate); then the block in the other direction is moved until the end plate is fixed in place in both directions. The end plate fixing structure and its fixing operation can better achieve the fixation of the end plate, which is convenient for subsequent operations.

[0071] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, a side panel welding system 111 is provided between the first transfer station and the second transfer station 116 on the second conveyor line.

[0072] The side plate welding system 111 includes a welding fixture; the welding system is provided with a welding fixture for fixing the workpiece during the welding process to achieve accurate positioning of the workpiece. Figure 5 The welding fixture includes a fixing unit, which includes a mounting plate 1113, a pressing plate 1114 and a pushing structure 1115. The mounting plate 1113 is suspended on the bracket assembly. Two pressing plates 1114 arranged opposite to each other are slidably connected to the mounting plate 1113 along a first direction. The pressing plate 1114 is connected to a pushing structure 1115. A positioning groove 1118 for matching the weld position is provided on the pressing plate 1114. The mounting plate 1113 can be suspended above the welding station through the bracket assembly. When the workpiece to be welded, such as a battery module, is moved to the welding station, the two pressing plates 1114 on the mounting plate 1113 can be pushed and pressed to the weld positions on both sides of the workpiece by the pushing structure 1115, and the positioning groove 1118 on the pressing plate 1114 is placed corresponding to the weld position. That is, the weld position is located in the positioning groove 1118, which is a through hole opened on the pressing plate 1114, so that the welding head can pass through the positioning groove 1118 to weld the weld position. The pressing plate 1114 is pressed around the weld position to better position the welding of the workpiece.

[0073] The pressing plate 1114 is slidably connected to the mounting plate 1113 along a first direction, so that the spacing between the two pressing plates 1114 can be flexibly adjusted, which is convenient for the placement of workpieces and suitable for workpieces of different sizes. The welding system also includes welding equipment; the welding equipment is used for welding operations. The welding equipment is arranged on the side of the welding fixture, and the welding equipment includes a displacement drive structure and a welding head, and the welding head is connected to the displacement drive structure. The displacement drive structure is used to drive the welding head to move to perform welding operations on the weld position. The fixed unit of the welding fixture should be located within the displacement range of the displacement drive structure. The displacement drive structure can be a six-axis robot.

[0074] A side panel welding system 111 provided in this embodiment is provided with a welding fixing tool for fixing and positioning a workpiece. Specifically, a pressure plate 1114 and a positioning groove 1118 are provided for pressing and fixing the weld position of the workpiece in a targeted manner. The pressure plate 1114 is pressed around the weld position, which is beneficial for limiting the weld position and improving welding efficiency and accuracy, and can better realize the fixed positioning of the workpiece welding, which is beneficial for improving the positioning accuracy of the workpiece welding position and reducing welding errors.

[0075] Furthermore, the welding fixture can be used in conjunction with a workpiece fixture plate, that is, the workpiece can be placed on the fixture plate and fixed in place by the welding fixture.

[0076] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , two groups of opposite fixing units are arranged on the bracket assembly at intervals. That is, two groups of fixing units are connected to the bracket assembly, and the pressure plates 1114 of the two groups of fixing units are arranged opposite to each other. The two groups of fixing units can clamp and fix the workpiece at both ends of the workpiece to improve the positioning accuracy. The two ends of the battery module are respectively connected to the end plates, and the side plates need to be welded on both sides of the module, and each side plate needs to be welded at both ends where it connects with the end plates. That is, there are four welding positions on both sides of the module. Two groups of fixing units are set, that is, four pressure plates can be pressed and positioned at four welding positions at the same time.

[0077] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 5 , the fixing unit is connected to the bracket assembly in an adjustable position along the second direction. That is, the mounting plate 1113 is used to be connected to the bracket assembly in an adjustable position along the second direction. The second direction may be a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The fixing unit can be adjusted in position along the second direction, and the pressing plate 1114 can be adjusted in position along the first direction relative to the mounting plate 1113. Thus, the pressing plate 1114 can be adjusted in position in two directions relative to the workpiece, and can adapt to more workpieces of different sizes, thereby improving the applicability and flexibility of the tooling.

[0078] Furthermore, the fixing unit and the bracket assembly can be slidably connected along the second direction; for example, the sliding connection between the two can be achieved through a guide rail slide groove structure. A driving structure is connected to the bracket assembly to drive the fixing unit to move along the second direction. The driving structure can be a slide 1119, a cylinder 11110, a screw nut, etc., with the purpose of providing linear movement, and is not specifically limited.

[0079] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, a limit assembly is provided on the bracket assembly along the moving path of the fixing unit. The limit assembly is used to limit the moving position of the fixing unit. The limit assembly can be pre-set according to the actual welded workpiece, so that the fixing unit can accurately stop at the preset limit assembly position, and the accurate positioning of the fixing unit can be achieved. Figure 5 The bracket assembly includes two supporting frames 1111 arranged opposite to each other and a connecting plate 1112 whose two ends are respectively connected to the two supporting frames 1111, and the fixing unit is connected to the connecting plate 1112. The ends of the connecting plate 1112 are connected to the corresponding supporting frames 1111 in an adjustable manner along the first direction.

[0080] The second conveyor line can be arranged on one side of the support frame 1111 along the first direction, so that the connecting plate 1112 and the fixing unit can be initially moved along the support frame 1111 to the side of the second conveyor line, and after the workpiece is placed in place at the welding station, the connecting plate 1112 and the fixing unit are moved to the workpiece. This can prevent the fixing fixture from interfering with the welding station when it is not needed. Furthermore, the first direction can be the width direction of the workpiece; the second direction can be the length direction of the workpiece.

[0081] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 5 The mounting plate 1113 is provided with a slot 11111 penetrating the bottom edge of the mounting plate 1113 between the two pressing plates 1114. Preferably, the width of the slot 11111 along the first direction may be greater than the width of the workpiece, so that the end of the workpiece can pass through the mounting plate 1113 from the slot 11111, so that the tooling can adapt to longer workpieces and workpieces with welds closer to the middle.

[0082] On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiment, further, the inner side surface of the pressing plate 1114 is connected with a pressing block 1116 on at least one side of the positioning groove 1118; the pressing block 1116 is provided, and the pressing block 1116 can abut against the surface of the workpiece, which is conducive to pressing the workpiece tightly during welding and achieving precise positioning. The pressing block 1116 can be provided on one side of the positioning groove 1118 on the inner side surface of the pressing plate 1114, or the pressing block 1116 can be provided on both sides of the positioning groove 1118, and the details are not limited. The inner side surface of the pressing plate 1114 is the side used to contact the workpiece, that is, the opposite side of the two pressing plates 1114 on a mounting plate 1113.

[0083] Further, refer to Figure 6 , the pressing block 1116 extends from one side of the pressing plate 1114 to the corresponding position inside the positioning groove 1118. Figure 6 , the side of the pressing block 1116 away from the pressing plate 1114 blocks part of the space of the positioning groove 1118, so that under the cover of the pressing block 1116, the space of the positioning groove 1118 is further limited. The side of the pressing block 1116 away from the pressing plate 1114 can be set close to the weld position, so that when the pressing plate 1114 presses the workpiece, the pressing block 1116 presses against the workpiece close to the weld position, which is conducive to improving the accuracy of the welding position. The width of the positioning groove 1118 can be set wider, greater than the width of the weld position. Thereby, the welding head can be easily inserted into the wider positioning groove 1118, and precise welding can be performed within the limitation of the pressing block 1116.

[0084] The pressing block 1116 is arranged along the length direction of the positioning groove 1118, and the width of the side where the pressing block 1116 is connected to the pressing plate 1114 is less than or equal to the width of the side where the pressing block 1116 is away from the pressing plate 1114. Figure 7 , the width here is the width of the pressing block 1116 along the second direction. Setting the width of the pressing block 1116 on the side away from the pressing plate 1114 to be larger is not only conducive to improving the welding accuracy by being close to the weld, but also can increase the contact area with the workpiece and achieve stable clamping. Setting the width of the side where the pressing block 1116 is connected to the pressing plate 1114 to be smaller is conducive to the smooth insertion of the welding head. Preferably, the side where the pressing block 1116 is connected to the pressing plate 1114 is located on the side of the positioning groove 1118. That is, this side does not extend into the positioning groove 1118, and does not block the space of the positioning groove 1118, which can facilitate the insertion of the welding head. Furthermore, the pressing block 1116 can be a copper pressing block.

[0085] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the outer side of the pressing plate 1114 is connected with a protective cover 1117 at the periphery of the positioning groove 1118. The protective cover 1117 is located at the periphery of the positioning groove 1118 on the outer side of the pressing plate 1114, and is used for protection during welding to improve safety performance.

[0086] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, a needle bed detection system 110 is provided on the second conveyor line after the first transfer station. The needle bed detection system 110 is provided after the battery cell stacking station 19 and before the side panel welding system 111. It is used to detect the stacked modules before the side panel welding to ensure the qualified rate of the product and avoid waste of resources. Furthermore, the polarity detection station on the first conveyor line can also be provided with the needle bed detection system 110.

[0087] The needle bed detection system 110 includes a needle bed mounting frame 1101 and a needle bed assembly. The needle bed mounting frame 1101 is used to be fixed above the conveyor line. The needle bed assembly is connected to the needle bed mounting frame 1101. The needle bed assembly includes a plurality of probes 11010. That is, a detection station is set during the battery production process to detect the placement posture of the battery cells to determine whether the arrangement of the battery cells in the module is correct, ensuring that the battery cells are in the correct arrangement posture in subsequent processes.

[0088] The present embodiment provides a needle bed detection system 110, in which a needle bed mounting frame 1101 and a needle bed assembly are arranged at the detection station. When the battery cell or module to be tested is transported to the detection station, the probe 11010 can be used to contact the pole of the battery cell to detect and judge the placement direction of the positive and negative poles of the battery cell, and then detect the arrangement posture of the battery cell. Compared with the manual detection in the prior art, the provision of the needle bed assembly is conducive to improving the accuracy and efficiency of the detection, and can be applied to long-term work and is not prone to errors.

[0089] Furthermore, the arrangement distribution of several probes 11010 on the needle bed assembly corresponds to the emission distribution of the battery cells in the module to be tested. So that each probe 11010 is inserted into a corresponding pole during detection. The number of probes 11010 corresponds to the number of battery cells in the module to be tested, and each battery cell corresponds to two probes 11010. The needle bed detection mechanism is particularly suitable for detecting square battery cell modules. The two poles of the square battery cell are located on the same end face, so that the poles of several battery cells in the square battery cell module can be located on the same side. During detection, the poles in the module can be facing upwards, and the probes 11010 of the needle bed assembly can be inserted into the poles from above for detection.

[0090] Both sides of the needle bed assembly are connected to the needle bed mounting frame 1101 through a crank slider structure, so that the needle bed assembly can extend forward and the probe 11010 is facing downward. Figure 8 and retracted backwards and the probe 11010 toward the rear side, as Fig.10 The crank slider structure can realize both rotational movement and linear telescopic movement. The crank slider structure can drive the needle bed assembly to achieve telescopic and rotation. The needle bed assembly extends forward and the probe is facing downward, which is the state of the needle bed assembly during detection. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 After the test is completed, the needle bed assembly can be retracted to the rear side and the needle bed assembly can be rotated so that the probe is rotated from downward to backward, such as Fig.10 and Fig.11 The second posture shown is the retracted state of the needle bed assembly when no detection is required.

[0091] refer to Figure 8The crank slider structure includes a connecting rod 1103 and a slider 1105. One end of the connecting rod 1103 is connected to the driving structure 1102, and the other end is rotatably connected to the needle bed assembly. The slider 1105 is slidably connected to the needle bed mounting frame 1101 along the front-to-back direction. The slider 1105 is rotatably connected to the needle bed assembly and the connection portion is spaced apart from the other end of the connecting rod 1103.

[0092] One end of the connecting rod 1103 is fixedly connected to the driving structure 1102 and swings under the drive of the driving structure 1102. The other end of the connecting rod 1103 is rotatably connected to the needle bed assembly, which can be a pin connection structure, a hinge structure, or a rotational connection achieved through a bearing, etc., and the specific method is not limited. A guide rail 1104 can be set on the needle bed mounting frame 1101 along the front and rear directions, and a slider 1105 is set to be slidably connected to the guide rail 1104. The slider 1105 can also be rotatably connected to the needle bed assembly through a pin, a hinge or a bearing, and the specific method is not limited. The connection part between the slider 1105 and the needle bed assembly is arranged at intervals from the connection part between the connecting rod 1103 and the needle bed assembly; the two connection parts can be located on both sides of the needle bed assembly.

[0093] The driving structure 1102 can be a rotary cylinder, a swing table or a gear structure, etc., with the purpose of providing rotational movement, and is not specifically limited. Under the drive of the driving structure 1102, the connecting rod 1103 rotates to drive the needle bed assembly to rotate and extend, and the needle bed assembly can limit the extension direction by connecting the slider 1105, thereby realizing the switching of the needle bed assembly between two states.

[0094] Furthermore, the specific arrangement of the connecting rod 1103 and the slider 1105 in the crank slider structure provided in this embodiment is a preferred implementation structure capable of realizing the switching of the needle bed assembly between two states. Other structures that utilize the principle of the crank slider to realize the switching of the needle bed assembly between two states are also within the scope of protection of the present invention and are not listed one by one here.

[0095] Further, Figures 8 to 11 Specifically shown in FIG. 1 is the specific connection of the crank slider structure on one side of the needle bed assembly; that is, Figure 8 and Fig.10 The left side of the needle bed assembly shows the crank slider structure connected in place, while the crank slider structure on the right side of the needle bed assembly is not connected to the needle bed assembly. The right side is only for showing the specific component composition of the crank slider structure and does not represent the specific connection structure, such as Fig. 9 and Fig.11 The specific connection method of the crank slider structures on the left and right sides of the needle bed assembly is the same, that is, Figure 8 and Fig.10 Shown on the left.

[0096] Furthermore, the front side, rear side, left side and right side described in each embodiment are based on the orientations shown in the accompanying drawings, and are provided for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the specific structure of the needle bed detection mechanism, and are not intended to limit the orientations of the needle bed detection mechanism in actual application.

[0097] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the needle bed mounting frame 1101 is connected to the limiting structures 11011 at both ends of the sliding path of the slider 1105. The limiting structures 11011 at both ends are used to limit and fix the needle bed assembly in two states, which is conducive to improving the accuracy. The limiting structure includes a buffering limiting member and / or a fixed limiting member. The buffering limiting member is a limiting member with a buffering formation, such as a hydraulic buffer, an elastic member, etc. The fixed limiting member is a hard limiting member.

[0098] The needle bed assembly includes a connecting plate 1106, and the probe 11010 is fixed to the connecting plate 1106; the needle bed assembly also includes a fixed plate 1107, which is relatively arranged on the side of the connecting plate 1106 away from the probe 11010, and the connecting plate 1106 and the fixed plate 1107 are connected to each other in an up-and-down floating manner, and the fixed plate 1107 is connected to the needle bed mounting frame 1101. The fixed plate 1107 is used to be connected to the crank slider structure. The connecting rod 1103 and the slider 1105 in the crank slider structure are connected to the fixed plate 1107 to drive the needle bed assembly to move. The connecting plate 1106 can float up and down relative to the fixed plate 1107, and the connecting plate 1106 can be connected to the fixed plate 1107 through a linear bearing 1108, and the linear bearing 1108 can realize the floating up and down. Thereby, the probe 11010 on the connecting plate 1106 has space to move up and down, which can adapt to batteries of different heights, and improve the applicability and flexibility of the detection mechanism.

[0099] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Figure 8 The fixed plate 1107 is provided with a pushing structure 1109 arranged in the vertical direction, and the pushing structure 1109 is connected to the connecting plate 1106; the pushing structure 1109 is used to control the up and down movement of the connecting plate 1106, so that the connecting plate 1106 and the fixed plate 1107 can be at a preset distance. The pushing structure 1109 can be a structure that can provide linear movement, such as a cylinder, and is not specifically limited.

[0100] On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiment, further, the needle bed mounting frame 1101 is movably connected to the bracket at the detection station in the vertical direction. A vertical displacement structure can be set on the bracket and connected to the needle bed mounting frame 1101 to adjust the up and down movement of the needle bed assembly in a larger range to ensure the smooth progress of the detection. The vertical displacement structure can be a structure such as a cylinder, a guide rail, a slide, a screw, etc., and multiple mounting positions can also be set on the bracket in the vertical direction. The needle bed mounting frame 1101 is connected and fixed to the bracket at the mounting position, so as to achieve the vertical position adjustment of the needle bed mounting frame 1101, and no specific limitation is made.

[0101] Furthermore, the operation of the driving structure 1102 that controls the crank slider 1105 structure can be set with a button for manual control, and the position of the needle bed assembly can be manually switched when necessary to detect the module; it can also be automatically controlled, that is, the driving structure 1102 can automatically run at preset time intervals to control the switching state of the needle bed assembly to achieve detection; the specific control method is not limited.

[0102] The above embodiments provide a needle bed detection mechanism, which uses a probe 11010 to detect the orientation of the positive and negative poles of the battery cell, which can replace manual detection of the arrangement posture of the battery cells in the module, which is conducive to improving detection efficiency and accuracy. Furthermore, the crank slider 1105 structure is set to enable the needle bed assembly to switch between the two states of extension and retraction, and during the switching process of the needle bed assembly between the two states, the probe 11010 is always in a downward or backward posture, which can avoid accidental injury to the operator at the workstation; and during the switching process of the needle bed assembly from the retracted state to the extended state, the needle bed assembly is in a forward pushing movement process. Even if there is an operator at the workstation and the needle bed assembly touches the operator, the forward pushing process can also avoid damage to the operator, which is safer than the descent process from a high place.

[0103] A first busbar welding station 114 is also provided on the second conveyor line between the side panel welding system 111 and the second transfer station 116. A side panel inspection station 112 and a first busbar assembly station 113 are provided in sequence between the side panel welding system 111 and the first busbar welding station 114. A busbar inspection station 115 is provided between the first busbar welding station 114 and the second transfer station 116; the busbar inspection station 115 can also be used to dismantle the tooling, that is, to release the fastening force of the tooling on the module, so as to facilitate the subsequent transfer of the module by the second transfer station 116.

[0104] Furthermore, an end plate coding station 12 may be provided at the front end of the second conveyor line for marking an identification code on the end plate for easy identification. A cell loading station 11 is provided at the beginning of the second conveyor line.

[0105] Furthermore, a cell assembly station 24 is provided at a position corresponding to the first conveyor line and the first transfer station. The cell transfer manipulator 17 can be used to assemble the energy storage battery module.

[0106] refer to Fig.12 The battery cell transfer robot 17 includes a first clamp 171, a second clamp 1711, a swing mechanism 172 and a transfer mounting frame. The transfer mounting frame is used to be connected and fixed with a displacement mechanism. The displacement mechanism is used to provide spatial displacement. The swing mechanism 172 is fixed to the transfer mounting frame. The first clamp 171 is connected to the swing mechanism 172, and the second clamp 1711 is installed on the transfer mounting frame.

[0107] The displacement mechanism is used to provide spatial displacement, and the battery cell sequence transfer robot is used to clamp the workpiece, and then the displacement mechanism is used to drive the battery cell sequence transfer device to move in space to transfer the workpiece between different processes. The sequence transfer mounting frame is used to fix the various components of the battery cell sequence transfer device and connect it to the displacement mechanism. The clamping jaw is used to directly contact the workpiece to apply a clamping force to the workpiece. The swing mechanism 172 is set to drive the clamping jaw to swing, so that the clamped workpiece can be swung under the drive of the swing mechanism 172, and different postures of the workpiece can be obtained, thereby adapting to different sequence transfer posture requirements.

[0108] The first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are provided to clamp two workpieces at the same time, thereby improving efficiency. Moreover, the two clamping jaws can realize different relative postures between the two workpieces through the swing of the first clamping jaw 171, thereby improving functionality and applicability.

[0109] The present embodiment provides a battery cell transfer robot, in which a swing mechanism 172 is provided to be connected to a first clamp 171, and can realize swinging and flipping after the first clamp 171 clamps the workpiece, so as to obtain different postures of the workpiece without moving the displacement mechanism. It can adapt to different transfer posture requirements, improve the functionality and flexibility of the transfer clamping, and improve the applicability.

[0110] Specifically, for example, the workpiece can be initially placed flat on the workstation. After the first clamp 171 clamps the workpiece, the swing mechanism 172 can rotate 90 degrees to flip the workpiece from flat to upright. The swing mechanism 172 can also rotate to flip the workpiece 180 degrees. When the workpiece is a square battery cell, the electrode position of the workpiece can be swapped. Fig.12 and Fig.14 The square battery cell clamped by the first clamping jaw 171 is switched between positive and negative poles under the rotation of the swing mechanism 172 ; and the relative relationship with the square battery cell clamped by the second clamping jaw 1711 is changed.

[0111] Furthermore, the displacement mechanism can be a one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional linear moving mechanism to drive the cell sequence transfer device to move in a one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional linear direction. The displacement mechanism can also be a four-axis robot or a six-axis robot or a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to drive the sequence transfer clamping device to perform multi-degree-of-freedom spatial displacement. The specific form of the displacement mechanism can be flexibly selected according to actual needs and is not specifically limited.

[0112] Furthermore, the swing mechanism 172 is a mechanism capable of providing rotational movement, such as a swing table, a swing cylinder or a gear structure, etc., which is not specifically limited. Preferably, the swing mechanism 172 can be a swing cylinder.

[0113] On the basis of the above embodiments, further, referring to Fig.12 , the swing mechanism 172 is connected with a connecting piece 177, and the first clamping jaw 171 is connected to the connecting piece 177. The swing mechanism 172 can be fixedly connected to the connecting piece 177, and the clamping jaw is fixed to the connecting piece 177; the swing mechanism 172 drives the connecting piece 177 to rotate integrally. The clamping jaw is connected to the swing mechanism 172 through a connecting piece 177 having a certain length, so that when the swing mechanism 172 swings, the clamping jaw not only changes in angle, but also changes in position away from the initial position, that is, rotates with the connecting piece 177 as the radius. The variability and functionality of the sequence-changing clamping device can be increased.

[0114] Furthermore, the sequence transfer mounting frame includes a bracket and a first connecting plate 173 and a second connecting plate 174 arranged on opposite sides of the bracket; the first connecting plate 173 is used to be fixedly connected to the displacement mechanism; the swing mechanism 172 can be fixed on the inner side of the second connecting plate 174 and the swing member of the swing mechanism 172 extends from the inner side of the second connecting plate 174 and is connected to the clamp.

[0115] Furthermore, the second clamping jaw 1711 may be connected to the transfer mounting frame via a cushion block 1712 , so that the clamping surfaces of the second clamping jaw 1711 and the first clamping jaw 171 are located in the same plane.

[0116] Furthermore, the rotation mounting frame is connected with two limit mechanisms 175 at intervals on the swing path of the first clamping jaw 171; the limit mechanism 175 is used to limit the swing position of the clamping jaw, so that the clamping jaw rotates to the preset limit mechanism 175, thereby obtaining the accurate required posture, which is convenient for controlling different postures of the workpiece. Fig.14 The limiting mechanism 175 includes a limiting bracket 1751 and a limiting block 1752. The limiting bracket 1751 is fixed to the transfer mounting frame, and the limiting block 1752 is fixed to the limiting bracket 1751. The limiting block 1752 is used to block and limit the swing of the clamping claw. The limiting mechanism 175 also includes a buffer limiting member 1753. Fig.13The connecting member 177 may also be connected to a positioning block 1710 ; the positioning block 1710 is used to cooperate with the limit block 52 and the buffer limit member 53 to realize the positioning of the clamp when the swing mechanism 172 swings.

[0117] When the first clamping jaw 171 is located at one of the limiting mechanisms 175, the extension and retraction directions of the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are located in the same straight line; Fig.12 When the first clamping jaw 171 is located at another limiting mechanism 175, the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are in a side-by-side state and the extension and contraction directions of the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are parallel. Fig.14 shown.

[0118] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 respectively include two opposite jaw bodies, and the bottom of the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are respectively connected with a travel pin 176 between the two jaw bodies. The bottom of the clamping jaw is the side opposite to the opening side of the clamping jaw. When the clamping jaw clamps the workpiece, the workpiece gradually moves from the opening side of the clamping jaw to the bottom of the clamping jaw. The travel pin 176 can limit the insertion depth of the workpiece between the two jaw bodies. Setting the travel pin 176 can limit the depth of the workpiece inserted into the clamping jaw; it is beneficial to improve the consistency of the depth of each clamping workpiece, and improve the intelligence and accuracy of the clamping device.

[0119] Furthermore, the two claws of the clamp can be flat, so as to facilitate the clamping of workpieces with flat surfaces, such as square battery cells or plate-like workpieces. The claws of the clamp can also be non-flat, for example, they can be arc-shaped, so as to facilitate the clamping of workpieces with arc-shaped surfaces such as cylindrical battery cells. The specific shape of the claws of the clamp and the specific workpieces clamped by the clamp are not limited.

[0120] Further, refer to Fig.12 The jaw body of the clamp can be L-shaped. One side of the L-shaped jaw body is used to contact the workpiece to clamp the workpiece, and the other side can be used to connect to the driving component of the clamp, such as a cylinder. The driving component of the clamp is fixedly arranged to provide power for the movement of the jaw body. The travel pin 176 can be fixed to the jaw body; it moves accordingly with the extension and contraction of the two jaw bodies. The travel pin 176 can also be fixed to the driving component of the clamp; it does not move with the extension and contraction of the jaw body, and is not specifically limited.

[0121] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the travel pin 176 can limit and fix the depth of the workpiece inserted into the clamping jaw by abutting against the surface of the workpiece. A plurality of travel pins 176 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bottom of the first clamping jaw 171; a plurality of travel pins 176 are also symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bottom of the second clamping jaw 1711. A symmetrical abutting force can be applied to the workpiece, which is conducive to ensuring uniformity and consistency of the workpiece inserted into the clamping jaw.

[0122] On the basis of the above embodiment, further, the travel pin 176 is an elastic structure. Fig.12 The transfer mounting frame is also connected to a detection bracket 178, and the detection bracket 178 is connected to a detection unit 179. The detection unit 179 is used to detect and verify the workpiece after the transfer by the transfer clamping device, so as to ensure that the posture of the workpiece after the transfer meets the transfer requirements.

[0123] Specifically, the detection unit 179 can be an industrial camera, a distance sensor, a code reader, etc. The industrial camera can verify whether the posture of the workpiece meets the needs of the reordering by image detection; the distance sensor can verify whether the placement height of the workpiece meets the needs of the reordering by measuring the distance between the workpiece and the distance sensor; the code reader can verify whether the workpiece is the workpiece required for the reordering by reading the identification code information on the workpiece. The detection unit 179 can also be other, which can be flexibly set according to actual needs, and is not specifically limited.

[0124] Furthermore, the present embodiment provides a battery module assembly method based on the battery cell sequence transfer device described in any of the above embodiments, and the battery module assembly method comprises: initially, the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are located in the same straight line in the extension direction, respectively clamping the battery cells, and making the travel pins 176 on the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 be respectively compressed to preset positions; swinging the first clamping jaw 171 so that the two battery cells clamped by the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711 are placed side by side and in opposite postures, such as Figure 4 As shown; the two battery cells clamped by the first clamp 171 and the second clamp 1711 are correspondingly inserted into the installation positions of the module base 1714; the first clamp 171 and the second clamp 1711 are released, and the two battery cells are installed in place under the elastic force of the travel pin 176; the assembly result is verified by the detection unit 179.

[0125] The battery module assembly method can be used for assembling modules with cells placed in a forward and reverse direction, for example, for assembling energy storage modules. Fig.15, one of the module bases 1714 has a plurality of mounting grooves arranged side by side; forming a battery cell mounting position, the battery cell needs to be inserted into the mounting groove for assembly. The plurality of mounting grooves on a module base 1714 are divided into a plurality of mounting grooves for first posture battery cells 1715 and a plurality of mounting grooves for second posture battery cells 1716. The mounting grooves of the plurality of first posture battery cells 1715 are adjacent to each other in sequence to form a first group of mounting grooves, and the mounting grooves of the plurality of second posture battery cells 1716 are adjacent to each other in sequence to form a second group of mounting grooves. The first group of mounting grooves and the second group of mounting grooves on the module base 1714 are arranged in sequence and spaced and crossed. That is, the plurality of mounting grooves on a module base 1714 are the mounting grooves of the plurality of first posture battery cells 1715 and the mounting grooves of the plurality of second posture battery cells 1716, which are placed in sequence. The number of mounting grooves for the first posture battery cells 1715 and the number of mounting grooves for the second posture battery cells 1716 may be the same.

[0126] The module assembly method further includes: each time, the battery cell clamped by the first clamping jaw 171 and the battery cell clamped by the second clamping jaw 1711 can be inserted into the corresponding installation positions of the first posture battery cell 1715 and the second posture battery cell 1716. That is, when the first clamping jaw 171 is rotated to be parallel to the second clamping jaw 1711 and the extension direction is parallel, there is a gap between the first clamping jaw 171 and the second clamping jaw 1711, so that when the module is assembled, there is a gap between the two battery cells in opposite postures each time. Therefore, each time the battery cells are placed, the two battery cells can be inserted into the corresponding positions of the installation positions with different postures.

[0127] Specifically, refer to Fig.15 In the module of this embodiment, the first posture battery cells 1715 and the second posture battery cells 1716 can be placed alternately in groups of three, that is, Fig.15 After the three first-position cells 1715 shown in the top row of cells, three second-position cells 1716 need to be placed. First, two cells can be clamped by the first clamp 171 and the second clamp 1711, and then the first clamp 171 is turned over to form two cells with a distance and opposite positions. Fig.15 Then pick up the battery cell for the second time and turn it over. Fig.15 Then the battery cells are clamped again to form Fig.15 The module assembly is finally completed in this way. Multiple modules are placed in the box 1713 to complete the module assembly. The module base 1714 can be fixed and arranged in the box 1713 first, and then the battery cell can be assembled.

[0128] The clamp drives the battery cell to be inserted into the module base 1714. After the clamp body is released, the compressed travel pin 176 will apply a thrust to the battery cell, which is helpful to ensure that the battery cell is inserted in place. After each assembly of the battery cell, a detection unit 179 such as a camera can be set to detect whether there is a corresponding battery cell at the corresponding installation position, that is, to detect whether the assembly position of the battery cell is correct and whether there is a situation where the assembly is not smooth and tilted; the camera can also be used to detect and verify whether the assembly posture of the battery cell is qualified. Furthermore, because the height requirements for the module assembly matching battery cells are relatively high (if the height of the poles on the surface of the battery cell is uneven, it will affect the subsequent process and affect the battery performance), a distance sensor can also be set to detect and verify whether the height of the surface of the battery cell is uniform and meets the standard.

[0129] Furthermore, the battery cell sequence rotation device is not only suitable for the sequence rotation clamping and module assembly of battery cells, but also can be used for the sequence rotation clamping and assembly of other workpieces that need to adjust their posture, without limiting the specific applicable workpieces.

[0130] Furthermore, the battery cell detection system 13 is arranged on the second conveyor line. The first conveyor line is provided with a box loading station 21 and a base installation station 23 in sequence before the first transfer station. The first conveyor line is used for the production of energy storage battery modules. The energy storage battery modules adopt an assembly process of placing the battery cells in the box, such as Fig.15 As shown. A module base 1714 is specifically placed at the bottom of the box 1713. The module base 1714 is provided with placement grooves corresponding to the battery cells one by one, for placing the battery cells. Along the first conveyor line, the box 1713 can be loaded manually or by a robot; then the module base 1714 is installed in the box 1713 at the base installation station 23. A box code affixing station 22 can be provided between the box loading station 21 and the base installation station 23.

[0131] When the box 1713 after installing the module base 1714 is transported to the first transfer station, the base can also be glued by the gluing mechanism 15; so that when the battery cell is inserted into the base, the bottom of the battery cell and the module base 1714 are glued and connected, thereby improving the firmness of the battery cell fixation.

[0132] On the first conveyor line, at least one of a polarity detection station 25, an upper bracket installation station 26, a screw installation station, a second busbar assembly station 27, and a second busbar welding station 28 is sequentially arranged between the first transfer station and the second transfer station 116. The polarity detection station 25 is used to detect the posture of the battery cell assembled into the box 1713 to prevent unqualified products from flowing into the subsequent process. The upper bracket installation station 26 is used to install a bracket on the top of the battery cell to fix the top of the battery cell.

[0133] Further, refer to Fig.16The second transfer station 116 includes two linear guide rails 1161 that span the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line and are arranged in parallel. A connecting beam 1162 is movably connected between the two linear guide rails 1161; a vertical driving structure 1163 is connected to the connecting beam 1162, and a fixing frame 1164 is connected to the bottom of the vertical driving structure 1163. The two ends of the fixing frame 1164 are respectively connected to mounting plates, and transfer clamps 1165 are respectively provided on the two mounting plates; the two transfer clamps 1165 are arranged opposite to each other and two opposite clamping plates 1166 are connected therebetween. The two transfer clamps 1165 are synchronously extended and retracted to drive the two clamping plates 1166 to move toward or away from each other; so that the two clamping plates 1166 clamp or release the module on both sides of the module.

[0134] Furthermore, the fixing frame 1164 and the connecting beam 1162 are connected in a floating manner up and down; this can be achieved through a linear bearing 1168 structure. A vertical guide rail 1169 is connected to the connecting beam 1162 at a position corresponding to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate is movably connected to the vertical guide rail 1169. Furthermore, an L-shaped support plate 1167 is connected to the bottom of the clamping plate 1166 to protect the bottom of the module when the module is transferred. The second transfer station 116 is set up to better realize the transfer of the module between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line.

[0135] Furthermore, after the harness welding station 29, a harness inspection station 210 and a module inspection station 211 (such as an EOL test station) are specifically provided in sequence. The soft pack PACK production line can also be connected to realize the processing and forming of the battery. Furthermore, a recovery station 30 is respectively provided at the stations used for detection, such as the needle bed detection system 110, the polarity detection station 25, and the post-weld inspection station, for recycling and storing products that fail the inspection. Auxiliary components such as dust suction mechanisms that match the welding equipment are respectively provided at each welding station, such as the side panel welding system 111, the bus welding station, and the harness welding station 29.

[0136] The battery module production line provided in the above embodiment integrates the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line, so that the production line is compatible with two production processes of square power battery modules and energy storage battery modules, which can greatly optimize the setting process of the battery production line and avoid waste of resources.

[0137] Furthermore, the battery module production line can also be provided with a stop structure and a jacking structure at the station where the operation needs to be stopped. Taking the 13th station of the battery cell testing system as an example, the battery cell can be placed on the tooling board, and the tooling board is placed on the battery cell conveyor line for conveying. When the tooling board arrives at the testing mechanism, the stop structure can be activated to block the continued movement of the tooling board, so as to smoothly implement the testing or transfer of the battery cell. A jacking structure can also be provided at the testing mechanism of the battery cell conveyor line. When the tooling board arrives at the testing mechanism and is blocked by the stop structure and stops moving, the jacking structure can be activated to lift the tooling board, which can not only make the tooling board rise to avoid the influence of the main structure of the conveyor line on the testing of the battery cell, but also can position the tooling board through the jacking structure, so as to facilitate the battery cell testing. Positioning between the jacking structure and the tooling board can be achieved through structures such as pins.

[0138] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery module production line, characterized in that: It includes a first conveyor line for production and assembly of energy storage battery modules, a battery cell detection system and a first sequence transfer station are sequentially arranged on the front side of the first conveyor line, the first sequence transfer station includes a battery cell sequence transfer robot, a battery cell assembly station is arranged at a position corresponding to the first conveyor line and the battery cell sequence transfer robot, and a base installation station is arranged before the battery cell assembly station on the first conveyor line; The battery cell detection system is arranged at the front end of the second conveyor line. The second conveyor line and the first conveyor line are arranged in parallel. The second conveyor line is used for the production and assembly of power battery modules. The first transfer station is located between the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line. A second transfer station is also arranged after the first transfer station. A wire harness welding station and a module detection station are arranged on the line body of the first conveyor line or the second conveyor line after the second transfer station. The side of the second conveyor line is provided with a gluing mechanism, an end plate feeding mechanism and a transfer conveyor line body at the first transfer station; The first conveyor line is provided with a polarity detection station and a busbar welding station in sequence between the first transfer station and the second transfer station.

2. The battery module production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end plate feeding mechanism is located within the displacement range of the gluing mechanism, and the end plate feeding mechanism and the sequence transfer conveyor line are respectively located within the displacement range of the battery cell sequence transfer robot.

3. The battery module production line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second conveyor line is provided with a needle bed detection system and a side panel welding system in sequence between the first transfer station and the second transfer station.

4. The battery module production line according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The battery cell detection system includes a testing mechanism arranged on one side of the line body and a transfer mechanism for transferring battery cells that fail the test; the transfer mechanism includes a linear guide rail, a vertical drive structure and a transfer clamp, the linear guide rail is used to be arranged above the line body, the vertical drive structure is connected to the linear guide rail, and the transfer clamp is connected to the vertical drive structure in an up and down floating manner.

5. The battery module production line according to claim 4, characterized in that: The testing mechanism includes at least one testing unit arranged side by side; the testing unit includes a code reader, a horizontal guide frame and a vertical guide frame, the code reader is horizontally adjustable and fixed to the horizontal guide frame, and the horizontal guide frame is vertically adjustable and fixed to the vertical guide frame.

6. The battery module production line according to claim 5, characterized in that: The test unit further comprises a probe, a horizontal pushing structure and a probe mounting frame, wherein the probe is connected to the horizontal pushing structure and the horizontal pushing structure is mounted on the probe mounting frame; The battery cell detection system further comprises a flipping mechanism for adjusting the position of the battery cell that is placed upside down during testing, and the testing mechanism is arranged before the flipping mechanism.

7. The battery module production line according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The battery cell transfer robot includes: a first clamp, a second clamp, a swing mechanism and a transfer mounting frame, the transfer mounting frame is used to be connected and fixed with a displacement mechanism, the displacement mechanism is used to provide spatial displacement, the swing mechanism is fixed to the transfer mounting frame, the first clamp is connected to the swing mechanism, and the second clamp is installed on the transfer mounting frame.

8. The battery module production line according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rotation mounting frame is connected with two limiting mechanisms at intervals on the swing path of the first clamping jaw; When the first clamping jaw is located at one of the limiting mechanisms, the extension and retraction directions of the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw are located on the same straight line; When the first clamping jaw is located at another of the limiting mechanisms, the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw are in a side-by-side state and their extension and retraction directions are parallel.

9. The battery module production line according to claim 3, characterized in that: The needle bed detection system includes a needle bed mounting frame and a needle bed assembly, wherein the needle bed mounting frame is used to fix the top of the conveying line, the needle bed assembly is connected to the needle bed mounting frame, and the needle bed assembly includes a plurality of probes; Both sides of the needle bed assembly are connected to the needle bed mounting frame through a crank slider structure, so that the needle bed assembly can extend forward with the probe facing downward and retract backward with the probe facing the rear side; The needle bed assembly includes a connecting plate, and the probe is fixed to the connecting plate; the needle bed assembly also includes a fixing plate, which is arranged on a side of the connecting plate away from the probe, and the connecting plate is connected to the fixing plate in a floating manner up and down, and the fixing plate is connected to the needle bed mounting frame.

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